Chapter 155: War of Faiths (2)
A monster's corpse, huh.
Lynn mused.
"Monster" was actually a broad umbrella category rather than a specific species.
In a wizard's understanding, a monster was simply a rare, mutated individual within a given species.
These extreme physical differences usually got them ostracized by their own kind from a young age, meaning most died early in the wild.
The few that survived, however, invariably grew to be extraordinarily vicious, ferocious, and individually powerful.
These mutations shattered their natural bloodline limits, causing their bodies to expand uncontrollably.
As a result, they dwarfed their normal counterparts and sometimes grew extra organs. Based on appearance alone, it was usually impossible to recognize their original species.
"We'll see," Lynn said noncommittally.
"I'm planning to head back first," he told Selena.
He could trade for the High-Tier Demon bloodline essence with Dyo. Having contacts in the Abyss made things quite convenient.
Now, the only thing he lacked was the divine power of different gods. For that, he needed to return to the Wizard City and trade with other wizards.
"Alright. I was planning to make a trip there myself," Selena said. "We can travel together."
Lynn released his wizard tower from his portable folding space, then tucked both the Golden Cavalry Regiment and Black Mountain inside.
This cavalry was by no means weak. Having been modified by two generations of gods, they possessed various inconceivable traits and immense potential.
Afterward, Lynn scavenged the accumulated wealth of the Earldom of Heishandu, storing it entirely within his wizard tower. The bulk of the hoard consisted of Blue Gold Coins from the treasury.
The standard currency in the Feilan Continent was minted from blue gold. Because they could be used to forge magical items, these coins possessed intrinsic magical value.
This made them a highly practical currency for ordinary people, and they even held some utility for wizards.
By collecting this currency, Lynn had acquired a considerable fortune.
The two traveled back to the Wizard City together. Lynn wandered the city on his own, though he was careful not to rashly ask around about trading for divine power.
Wizard Harin had already told him it was a rare material, and Lynn had no doubts about how difficult it would be to obtain.
If he exposed his intentions recklessly, he would be no different from a child parading a gold brick through a busy market.
Therefore, Lynn simply visited various merchant guilds, casually checking the state of the market.
He soon realized, however, that among the city's many local guilds, public trades for divine power and certain other rare materials were completely nonexistent.
Divine power was evidently even rarer than he had imagined. Alternatively, it was such an essential material for many wizards that they simply wouldn't offer it up for casual trade.
When Lynn met up with Selena again, her relaxed expression suggested she had already concluded her own business.
"What are you looking to buy?" Selena asked.
Noting his subtle expression, she guessed he had returned empty-handed.
"Divine power," Lynn replied after a moment's thought.
"What do you need divine power for?" Selena asked, momentarily taken aback. She quickly realized it was a secret and didn't press the matter.
"That material is incredibly scarce. Usually, it's not something you can just buy."
"But I do have an idea," she continued.
"I know a channel that might be able to help you," Selena said.
"What do you plan to pay with? People generally don't accept Magic Stones for something as rare as divine power. At best, they'll agree to barter."
"I'll trade divine power for it," Lynn said thoughtfully.
Trade divine power for divine power?
Selena blanked for a moment.
"It seems you need the divine power of different gods. If that's the case," Selena mused, "perhaps Instructor Harin can help you."
Selena brought Lynn to a specific location in the city.
It was a special room. The interior was completely bare, with two Alchemical Puppets standing guard at the main entrance.
Inside sat a bizarre crystal that resembled a mirror. No matter the viewing angle, it gave the distinct impression of being a looking glass.
Selena retrieved a vial from her robes and let a single drop of black liquid fall onto its surface.
Ripples spread across the crystal. Before long, an image surfaced.
A human face was pressed right up against the pane, its massive nostrils and eyes taking up most of the frame. After a moment, the figure pulled back, bringing the background into view.
Lynn could see him clearly now. The person in the mirror was none other than Instructor Harin. He appeared to be indoors, and the layout of the room looked somewhat familiar.
It was likely the same room he had stayed in while unconscious.
Is Instructor Harin still there?
Lynn's eyes flickered slightly.
"Long time no see, Lynn," Harin said, a smile breaking across his face.
"Instructor, it's like this: Lynn needs your help with something." Selena proceeded to explain the situation to Harin.
Harin fell silent for a moment. "Different types of divine power... that really isn't an easy trade to make," he mused.
"However, there is someone who should be able to help you. He owes me a favor. But what price can you afford to pay, Lynn?" Harin looked directly at him.
Lynn's expression remained unchanged as he gave a slight bow. "Instructor Harin, how about five strands of divine power?"
"Five strands of divine power." A strange glint flashed in Harin's eyes.
To think Lynn can actually acquire such a rare material in bulk now. For someone at his current stage to obtain so much divine power at once... he must have come into contact with an existence far beyond his own level. In that case, it must be her.
"Acceptable. Just give it to me the next time we meet," Harin agreed, before giving him a name and a location.
Closing the communication, Lynn followed Harin's instructions and arrived at the destination.
It was a massive castle located right within the Wizard City.
The castle's dark outer walls were constructed block by block from black stone.
Countless streams of blood flowed through the crevices in the stonework like magma.
A Gargoyle statue crouched on the wall on each side of the main entrance.
The Gargoyles had a grayish sheen, their massive wings tightly enfolding their bodies.
Their drooping heads revealed pairs of sharply pointed ears.
Lynn knocked on the door, but nothing stirred inside.
Just as he was about to leave, the heavy door—massive as a city gate—slowly creaked open, revealing a narrow gap.
A cloud of cyan smoke drifted out from the crack. Behind the heavy door stood a semi-transparent ghost.
"I was sent by Wizard Harin to see Wizard Nicholas," Lynn said.
"Please wait a moment," the ghost, which had the appearance of an old man, said slowly.
The next moment, its body gradually faded away, vanishing from the spot.
Before long, it reappeared in front of Lynn. "My master asks me to convey that he is currently in the Celestial Realm and it is inconvenient for him to descend. If it is convenient for you, sir, would it be possible for you to travel to the Celestial Realm to meet him?"
The Celestial Realm?
Lynn hadn't expected the wizard to have traveled so far.
More importantly, he had no means of reaching the Celestial Realm. It wasn't listed among the destination coordinates for the Wizard City's teleportation arrays.
"My master says that if it is inconvenient for you to make the trip, you may also wait here for a few months, and he will return," the ghost said.
"Then I'll wait a few months," Lynn replied.
"Very well. I will notify you upon my master's return," the spectral butler said.
Returning to his residence, Lynn found an empty plot of land and released his wizard tower.
In the Wizard City, deployed wizard towers could be seen everywhere. These towers, each distinct in shape and design, formed a bizarre landscape amidst the steel city. Compared to the towering, majestic wizard towers surrounding it, Lynn's own tower looked rather inconspicuous.
Selena released her wizard tower right next to his. Over the following days, Lynn threw himself into his new research.
Aside from grinding through his daily tasks, conducting experiments, and completing his mandatory meditation, Lynn spent all his remaining time studying the Pupil of the Evil Forest that Selena had given him.
This was the eye of an abomination, brimming with an ominous power.
To divine beings, abominations possessed a terrifyingly strong corruptive nature, capable of inflicting damage even on true gods.
Even the gods found facing certain ancient, powerful abominations to be incredibly troublesome.
Throughout history, there was no shortage of gods who had fallen—either devoured entirely or dealt catastrophic wounds by abominations.
The Pupil of the Evil Forest was the eye of the abomination known as the Barrier of the Evil Forest.
According to Selena's description, the Barrier of the Evil Forest was a creature that looked like a cross between a lizard and a dragon. It bore a pair of massive, broad wings, and its entire body was covered in eyes.
These eyes possessed an extraordinarily potent cursing effect, capable of plunging their targets into illusions.
It was said that this was how the Barrier of the Evil Forest hunted: by projecting an illusion over a vast area, it caused its prey to unwittingly walk right into its stomach.
With Selena's help, Lynn barely managed to overcome the illusions of the Pupil of the Evil Forest. Amidst daily hallucinations of bizarre little people dancing around him and his walls transforming into dreamy, colorful cartoon murals, Lynn finally completed his design experiments on the Pupil of the Evil Forest. He successfully designed the energy framework required to embed it into his wizard tower.
However, before Lynn could install it on his tower, the spectral butler came knocking at his door.
Its master, Nicholas, had returned from the Celestial Realm.